Tai Chi Chuan is an ancient Chinese martial art that is also used for meditation and has been found to have numerous health benefits, including improving flexibility, circulation, posture, and balance. It can be practiced by people of all ages and is particularly beneficial for the elderly. Tai Chi classes are widely available and the practice is steeped in Taoist tradition.
Tai Chi Chuan, also known simply as Tai Chi, is an ancient Chinese “internal” martial art characterized by sets of movements that are performed slowly, either alone or with a partner. Many of the internal martial arts, including tai chi, are considered soulful meditations and are used not only to train the body, but also to calm the mind. Recently, the scientific community discovered that Tai Chi Chuan imparts a variety of health benefits to its practitioners, and the popularity of the practice is growing throughout the world.
Tai Chi Chuan is a gentle, restorative exercise that improves flexibility, circulation, posture, and balance. Like most Qigong exercises, it is also believed to increase longevity. According to Dr Richard Lefroy of the Department of Public Health at the University of Western Australia, it not only has the potential to improve joint flexibility, spinal stability, bone formation and lymphatic circulation, but it can also benefit concentration and memory recall. The slow, determined movements of Tai Chi Chuan can be of particular benefit to the elderly, as they can be practiced by almost anyone of any age and appear to specifically help mediate many of the common conditions of old age, such as balance and deficient muscles. fragility.
Many of the movements and postures that make up the Tai Chi Chuan sequences are based on animals and other forms found in nature. Coordinated movements seek to harmonize the forces of the universe within the human body and release any energy blockages the practitioner may have. Negative emotions and cravings can disturb this flow of energy and cause an imbalance in the practitioner, making mental concentration an essential part of Tai Chi practice.
Tai Chi classes are offered at many Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) schools, as well as many modern gyms and senior centers. In many Chinatowns, Tai Chi Chuan is practiced daily in the park early in the morning, providing a convenient way to learn the art for free. Classical martial arts schools often incorporate Tai Chi Chuan forms and combinations such as Kung Fu Tai Chi and Sword Tai Chi into their curriculum.
The origins of Tai Chi are steeped in legend and are closely linked to practices developed by Taoist monks to increase the vital energy forces, or chi, in the human body. Classical Tai Chi is one of these exercises, generally known as Qigong, which became popular in 17th century China as a form of martial arts that sought not to compete with an opponent, but to exercise the mind and body.
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